The experience of bereavement or loss can be very varied and your response to it is unique to you. It is quite normal to feel angry or sad when a loved one dies or leaves. Even the loss of a pet can have a major psychological effect, as they are often like a family member. You may feel grief, anger, loneliness or denial as a result of loss and bereavement (31).

Bereavement following a suicide

It can be particularly hard to deal with the death by suicide of someone you know. As well as the usual feelings of bereavement, you may have a number of conflicting emotions (30).

* acceptance and readjustment phase: may take several weeks to a year or more.

Possible development of Severe reactions

Bereavement is a distressing but common experience.

Sooner or later most of us will suffer the death of someone we love.

Yet in our everyday life we think and talk about death very little, perhaps because we encounter it less often than our grandparents did.

For them, the death of a brother or sister, friend or relative, was a common experience in their childhood or teenage years.

For us, these losses usually happen later in life. In spite of this, we have to cope when we are finally faced with the death of someone we love.

Some may not have the opportunity to grieve properly. The heavy demands of looking after a family or business may mean that there just isn't the time.

Others may suffer from strange physical symptoms or repeated spells of depression over the following years.

Some may start to grieve, but get stuck. The early sense of shock and disbelief just goes on and on. Years may pass and still the sufferer finds it hard to believe that the person they loved is dead.

Others may carry on being unable to think of anything else, often making the room of the dead person into a kind of shrine to their memory.

For some, it will be enough to meet people and talk with others who have been through the same experience.

Others may need to see a bereavement counsellor or psychotherapist, either in a special group or on their own for a while (30).

Working through these feelings with a therapist could help you come to terms with your loss (31).

Grief counselling is recommended for people with experience of loss. Loss has a cumulative effect, with reduction of social support, enforces isolation and a physical illness, high risk for depression and a major risk factor for mortality.

The counsellor will help to express feelings, giving time to grieve, identify abnormal coping, support.

If you require help and advice Counselling and Psychotherapy may be provided via Skype and FaceTime in the comfort of your home, office or any place of your choice.